Kelating Beach Suffering Bali's Worst Erosion

Farmer's Lands Disappears Under Encroaching Seas as Alila Villas Soori and Temples Get Perilously Closer to the High Tide Mark.

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(9/9/2009)

A June report in the Bali Post cites some of the worst beach erosion in Bali as taking place along Kelating Beach with little or no efforts by the government to stem the encroaching ocean tide.

According to the paper, Kelating Beach, which is the location of a new hotel development by Alila Villas Soori, is plagued not only by erosion but is becoming increasingly unsightly due to garbage accumulating on the beach.

Local citizen claim as much as 200 meters of beach erosion has taken place, causing temples that were once safely inland to now stand at the very edge of the sea, threatening to topple into the ocean when hit by a large wave. Other local citizens who once held certificates on valuable seaside lands, now hold worthless title on land that is either completely or partially under water.

The office of the Environment for Tabanan records a shoreline in Tabanan of 26 kilometers, with erosion affecting some 7.5 kilometers. Of that total, 3.4 kilometers of the worst eroded beaches including the shoreline in Kelating, are not being addressed by local government authorities due to a lack of funds.

The Head of the Environmental Office for Tabanan, A.A.. Ngr. Raka Icwara, told the press that his office is for now only able to record the erosion and its growing impact until such a time as funds become available to try to reverse the erosive incursion of the sea.